The Wisconsin Democracy Campaign’s report said total spending by legislative candidates, the four legislative fundraising committees and outside groups totaled $16.53 million. That’s down 14 percent from $19.25 million in 2010 and down 18 percent from the record $20.25 million spent on the 2008 fall elections.

The group’s executive director attributed the dip to campaign donors choosing to pour most of their resources into the June 2012 recall campaigns.

Democrats forced Republican Gov. Scott Walker and five other GOP office holders into recalls to punish them for passing a contentious law stripping most public workers of nearly all their union rights. Only one Republican incumbent, Sen. Van Wanggaard of Racine, lost his seat.

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